[Dataloss] retailer breach reveals CC application details

[Chris Walsh]

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Ross-Simons, which sells specialty merchandise  
through retail stores and more than 60 million catalogs each year,  
late on Tuesday said a security breach could allow unauthorized  
access to its customers' confidential financial information.

The company -- whose products includes jewelry, gifts and home  
decorative merchandise -- said the data breach has potential to harm  
individuals who had applied for its private label credit card.

Although the security snafu has been identified and corrected and the  
matter is under investigation, Ross-Simons said it may have exposed  
the private label credit card numbers and other personal information  
of those that had applied for the cards.

"Ross-Simons has engaged an independent third party to conduct an  
immediate external audit of its security procedures," the company  
said in a statement, as the retailer continues to notify all affected  
customers in order to minimize their possible risks.

Via http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx? 
type=businessNews&storyid=2006-04-12T074826Z_01_N12273963_RTRUKOC_0_US-R 
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